Managers will often claim that the title race is a marathon and not a sprint.
It usually comes after an early defeat that has punters panicking but it’s not actually true. Campaigns can be a slog like a marathon – but there are times when you need to sprint. Rangers could have done with some more Usain Bolts rather than more Mo Farahs. The Old Firm defeat at Celtic Park showed why the Light Blues can’t keep up the pace with Celtic – because of their own lack of pace.
Early on, a jittery Hoops side gave the ball away a few times and on one occasion it should have caused carnage. Cameron Carter-Vickers was well short with a pass back to Joe Hart and the keeper was never getting there. Alfredo Morelos was favourite. At least he would have been if not for the caravan hooked to his back. Instead, Carl Starfelt sped across to mop up.
John Souttar did the same and it left poor Allan McGregor facing a foot race. Some claimed the Gers keeper was like pandemic hero Captain Tom on his 99th length of his garden, but it wasn’t his fault he’s 41 and been dealt a hospital job.
The contrast was stark with Jota. He had double the ground to cover on Souttar and McGregor and gobbled it up in half the time. Parkhead pals Kyogo, Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada are rapid too while Oh Hyeon-gyu has a deceptive burst.
But Rangers? It’s all too one-paced. Which is why Michael Beale and Ross Wilson need to get a shift on this summer. Morelos is destined to tow his caravan to the Middle East or the MLS in a few months.
Ryan Kent thought he’d be hitting the road to the Premier League but that’s now unlikely due to his numbers and lack of explosive pace. Malik Tillman, Todd Cantwell and returning Ianis Hagi can beat a man but they don’t leave scorched earth behind.
The Scottish Cup semi-final will be another nail-bitter but Celtic can’t play as badly as they did on Saturday, so for all the positives from the Gers display, they have to assume the level will go up a notch. They showed at Celtic Park they can contain the Hoops midfield and cause a threat from set pieces and odd break.
But they didn’t carve out enough chances, hold on to the ball long enough or have the speed to hurt Celts. Beale’s language has shifted slightly on this squad. When he came in the group was talked up as the Euro finalists who’d just lost their way.
Then came the talk of a revamp and now the hints are for wholesale changes and a complete rebuild. When you fail to win three Old Firm games the reactions tend to be wild. Gers have a need for speed and, without it, they’ll watch Celtic sprint away further.
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